In the Egyptian style, the circular glass set in a gold mount cast and chased as a palmette, the nephrite handle decorated with a silver band enameled in translucent white over a moiré guilloché ground, the lower part of the handle carved with two serpents with cabochon ruby-set eyes, in the original fitted Fabergé wooden case, apparently unmarked
6 in. (15.2 cm.) long

Purchased by Prince Alexander of Battenberg (1886-1960) from the London branch of Fabergé on 23 December 1912 for £24.

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This rare and large nephrite magnifying glass in Egyptian style was acquired by Prince Alexander of Battenberg (1886-1960), a grandson of Queen Victoria. Born at Windsor Castle, Alexander was the eldest of the four children of Princess Beatrice and Prince Henry of Battenberg.

Prince Alexander attended Wellington College in Crowthorne. Following the graduation, he served in the Royal Navy between 1902 and 1908. In 1911, Prince Alexander joined the British Army and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Grenadier Guards. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1913 and to captain in 1915.

In 1917, he changed his name to Mountbatten, an Anglicized form of Battenberg, and became known as Sir Alexander Mountbatten. On 7 November 1917, he was created Marquess of Carisbrooke, Earl of Berkhamsted and Viscount Launceston.

We are grateful to Dr Dmitry Krivoshei for his assistance with the research of the present lot.